Police investigate possible homicide in Henderson County

CARMAN, Ill. — Local and state law enforcement officers are investigating the weekend death of an 87-year-old rural Carman, Illinois, man as a possible homicide.

Rex Mynatt Sr., 1001 Township Road 1150 North, was found dead by his daughter, Linda Markey, about 12:20 p.m. Sunday in a camper where he lived on his property about nine miles east of Burlington on a paved road in Henderson County.

Authorities said his daughter found her father deceased when she went to check on him after he missed church Sunday morning.

Donnie Seitz, Henderson County undersheriff, confirmed Tuesday the sheriff's department and the Illinois state police were investigating Mynatt's death.

Seitz said investigators are handling the incident as a "death investigation" and that no further information would be released late Tuesday. He said additional information could be released today.

"Henderson County Sheriff Steven P. Haynes advises that Henderson County sheriff deputies responded to call of a deceased male found at 1001 Township Road 1150N, Carmen, Illinois," Seitz said late Tuesday. "Upon arrival, deputies identified the deceased male as Rex A. Mynatt, 87, of the same address."

Investigators did not say how Mynatt died or when an autopsy would be performed to determine the exact cause of his death.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday afternoon by local and state investigators at a Stronghurst, Illinois, residence in an attempt to find out how Mynatt died and who may be responsible.

Seitz declined to say why the search warrant was executed at that residence or if anyone has as been arrested in connection with Mynatt's death.

In a related matter, Burlington and West Burlington police stopped a vehicle about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Western Pines Mobile Home Park at 509 W. Agency Road in West Burlington. Two men and a woman were inside the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.

Police in both cities declined to comment on the traffic stop other than to say they were notified by Illinois authorities they were actively looking for the vehicle in connection with the investigation into Mynatt's death.

At least one person inside the vehicle was transported to Illinois for questioning.

If Mynatt's death is ruled a homicide, it would be the first murder in Henderson County in 17 years, officials said.

Anyone with information about Mynatt's death is asked to call the Henderson County Sheriff's Office at 309-867-4291.